HWS AT WORK

The Office of the President is located on the second floor of Coxe Hall, just above a classroom and down the hall from the balcony of the Bartlett Theatre. Overlooking the Quad and Medbery Residence Hall, the background noise is most often the lively conversations of students talking about exams or playing Ultimate Frisbee. Against this backdrop, Gearan meets with faculty, staff, community members and, every day, students. We asked some of the students in the course “Elections and Campaigns,” which Gearan co- teaches with Professor of Political Science Iva Dutchman, to select their favorite objects from his office.

Andrew Klindera '13

Paper Weight: I Survived the Clinton White House
“When the president of the Colleges is teaching your class, it can be a little intimidating. But in my time getting to know President Gearan, I’ve learned about his impressive leadership background working in the White House and his time as director of the Peace Corps. Once you know him, you learn how humble and personable he is. We have very different political views and that makes for interesting conversations.”

David Luna '14

Photo of President Bill Clinton and President Mark D. Gearan walking at the White House
“I like this photo because, to me, it shows the connection and trust between the president and his staff. That’s the kind of trust that’s needed to reform government and ensure that Washington is working effectively. You can tell from this photo that Clinton genuinely likes President Gearan.”

Lucy Hoagland '13

Letter from Sargent Shriver
“One of the reasons I was interested in HWS is because I very much wanted to study abroad. Gearan’s connection to the Peace Corps, whose first leader was Sargent Shriver, is a big reason why I applied. This letter is a reminder of President Gearan’s commitment to international study and civic engagement, two of the things I appreciate most about the Colleges.”

Denzel Singletary '13

Artwork by Kathleen Gearan, President Gearan’s youngest daughter
“Usually when you go into a CEO’s office, you’ll find framed degrees and family photos, which Gearan does have. But you don’t often find the artwork of children all over. It’s meaningful to me because
it indicates how Gearan’s professional and personal lives are intertwined. This particular piece captures the Gearan family perfectly with Mrs. Gearan holding a camera and President Gearan holding a Blackberry.”

Devon Mizzoni '13

Photo of Bill Clinton High-Fiving President Mark Gearan
“President Bill Clinton is, to me, such an inspiring man. He has done so much for human rights and I really respect that. After graduation, I’d like to work for an NGO on human trafficking issues and have applied for a Fulbright. I have an equal amount of respect for President Gearan, who has done so much good for the Colleges by encouraging community service. His influence on students is tremendous.”

Henry Rubin '13

Baseball signed by Dustin Pedroia, sent to President Mark Gearan by his former student Mike Rivera ’12
“I love baseball but unlike President Gearan, who is a Red Sox fan, I love the Phillies. I’m taking an independent study this semester with Professor of Political Science Iva Deutchman and Assistant Professor of Theatre Christopher Hatch on baseball. Iva and Chris are going to be teaching many of the same readings in a course next year.”

Kees Nordin '13

Campaigns & Elections: Rules, Reality, Strategy, Choice by John Sides, Daron Shaw, Matt Grossmann and Keena Lipsitz
“So much of the “Elections and Campaigns” course was about the people who called in, like CNN Chief National Correspondent John King and Republican Strategist Mary Matalin. So, for example, we read a chapter of this book on the presidential campaign of Michael Dukakis and the next day, Dukakis called in to class and we were able to ask him questions directly. That was pretty amazing.”

Jacqueline Paolino '14

Pen
“Presidents sign a lot of very important things, including my diploma one day. This pen is from the Corporation for National and Community Service, on which President Gearan served as chair of the Board.”